


Sea Change

by Lexigent



Category: SHAKESPEARE William - Works, Twelfth Night (1996), Twelfth Night - Shakespeare
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-27
Updated: 2014-01-27
Packaged: 2018-01-10 07:16:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1156688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lexigent/pseuds/Lexigent
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Viola and Orsino figure some things out after their wedding.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sea Change

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the prompt "Any, any, Now there's a change in the weather/A change in the sea/And from now on/There'll be a change in me" at fic_promptly.

Orsino steps out onto the terrace in between dances, just for a breather and a cigarette. It all happened rather hastily once it transpired that Cesario was, in fact, not Cesario at all, but Viola. Orsino isn't sure if this was even the right thing to do - but it seemed only fair, considering how much he'd fallen in love with the boy, and how much Viola, in turn, seemed to like him.

Still, when he saw her in her dress rather than the sharp uniform of a serving-man which emphasised all the hard angles of her silhouette rather than the sparse but definitely existent curves, he'd felt a real sense of loss. He watches her now through the windows, sees the spark in her eyes when she talks to Olivia and the barely hidden desire in Olivia's eyes in return.

They're both mourning Cesario, he realises. He catches himself looking at Sebastian - that is a road he definitely does not want to go down.

***

They're both well in their cups by the time the guests leave and they climb into bed together. It's nice, Orsino supposes - as far as sex with women goes.

Afterwards, Viola falls asleep in his arms, but he can't find rest.

****

Viola supposes she should be grateful. She's been given everything she never dared to hope for: the sea spit her brother back out, she met a lady who she considers her friend, and not least of all, she is now married to a Duke.

Maybe it's what happens when the chase is over, but she misses being Orsino's friend; misses card games and cigarettes and long nights on the beach. She has even come to miss Olivia's advances. Orsino is out, hunting or walking or some such, without her, because now it's no longer appropriate that they do these things together.

She picks up the jacket, trousers and shirt that she's relegated to the bottom of a drawer since the wedding. She wanted to give them back to Sebastian, but he hasn't mentioned them and anyway, they were both busy getting married so she simply hasn't got round to it. Yet.

Putting them on again after weeks of wearing dresses is strange, but not in the way she'd thought; perhaps secretly hoped. She's not sure what she'd expected - perhaps, she supposes, she thought she'd laugh at herself and at how silly the whole concept of dressing up as a man was in the first place, and then that would be that.

But it's not as easy as all that. When she turns around and sees herself - sees Cesario, even - in the mirror, all she feels is a strange sort of gratitude that he hasn't left.

He smiles at her out of the mirror and she has a thought. It's a wicked thought, but none the less urgent.

***

When Orsino comes home and calls for Viola, there is no answer. He rolls his eyes as he ascends the stairs. Probably she's sleeping.

He enters the bedroom, expecting to find her under the covers, or maybe on the settee. But she's not there at all. Instead, there's Cesario spread over the whole length of the bed, half reclined on his back, propped up by the elbows. He cocks his head at Orsino's entrance, cracks a mischievous smile and asks, "Did you miss me?"

***

It may look like the world's easiest thing, but it's the most important question in Cesario's life right now. 

Thankfully, the expression on Orsino's face tells him what he needs to know, and the bruising kiss that follows gets rid of any doubts.

 _We'll figure out the rest_ , he thinks as he presses close to Orsino and kisses him back with enthusiasm.


End file.
